Mother Nature Is Trying To Kill You
Dr. Dan Riskin

Dr. Dan Riskin is stirring up the airwaves with the truths about nature's ugly side. No wonder he's so entertaining. Maggot eggs got into his brain and he lives to tell you why parasites really rule the world.

Dan tells us that everybody loves nature. Everybody loves going outside and taking a breath of fresh air. However, a lot of people are missing out on the best parts of nature because they go in with these preconceived ideas about what nature is. They think that it's friendly and kind and will make you healthy. They think it's cuddly and that if you just get to know a grizzly bear, you could just stand next to it. While most of the animals out there really don't want to hurt you and they are just doing their own thing, the truth is that there are still all sorts of venomous creatures out there; there are parasites; and there are predators.

He also says that the way animals treat each other is worse than anything humans can do. Its only when you look at the absolutely ugliest parts of nature, that you really see the most beautiful parts. His book, "Mother Nature Is Trying To Kill You," is an exploration of all the things you shouldn't talk about at the dinner table, and Dan talks about them in the language that he would have wanted to learn about when he was twelve.

Dan uses the Seven Deadly Sins as a guide in his book. There's lust, and while humans have lust, there is a spider that will approach a female and she will try to eat him. His strategy is then to get as close to her as possible and use his two penises (yes - he has two, on the sides of his head) to mate with her. He then rips his own genitals off and makes a break for it because he knows he is about to die. But while he is running away, his genitals are doing their job procreating, while he is making a break for the outside of the web. If he is successful and gets away, he will stand (genital-less) just outside her reach and guard her against any other males that try to approach.

So why does the male even bother with the female in the first place? Scientists believe that for that spider to pass on its DNA, it has no choice, it has to mate. If it decides to sit this one out and not mate, then it will eventually die and not pass on its genes. So if an animal has a choice of survival or to reproduce, they always chose the reproduction route. Humans are also the same.

Now, lets talk about cats. Dan explains that cats have a parasite where they pass eggs through their feces. A rat will then eat those eggs by accident. Then, a different cat needs to eat that rat, so the lifecycle can continue. This is the parasite that housecats normally get, called toxoplasmosis, that pregnant woman can get who clean litter boxes. So when the rat has this parasite, the parasite actually wants the rat to be eaten by a cat. However, rats are instinctively good at avoiding cats. If they smell cat urine, the scent of the urine will immediately send a signal to the fear centers in their brain and they will run away. But, if the rat has the parasite, the parasite will rewire the rat's brain. So, instead of the scent going to the fear center, the signal goes to the sexual arousal of the rat's brain. Now, rats actually get turned on by the smell of cat urine and will stick around the cat and eventually get eaten, which is what the parasite wants.

Unfortunately, this parasite can also get ingested accidentally by humans when cleaning litter boxes. If you're not a pregnant woman, you generally won't have any symptoms, but this parasite can really harm an unborn baby. So while most people won't even know they have this parasite, it can actually rewire their brains. This can cause your reaction time to go down, so you are more likely to die in a car accident. It also changes your personality in measurable ways. So if you have people take a standardized test, people who have this parasite will give different answers from those who don't have the parasite. This parasite can cause men to act more jealous and mistrusting, while women tend to be more kindhearted. Both sexes tend to be afraid to try new things. Surprisingly, one out of every eight American has it. There is also the thought that this parasite can be a huge link to schizophrenia, and that these people are far more likely to be harboring this parasite.

This parasite is just one of the many parasites out there. When you make a list of every single type of animal being on the planet, more than half of the list is going to be of parasites. Think about it, every single animal you have seen in a nature documentary or even in your backyard feeder, is covered and full of parasites. This includes everything from penguins in Antarctica to panda bears in China. They all have tapeworms, ticks and mites.

In his book, "Mother Nature Is Trying To Kill You," Dan reveals why our wonderful world is also a dangerous and disgusting, yet endlessly fascinating, one. At every turn, living things are trying to eat us, poison us, make our bodies their homes, or use us as unwitting couriers of their DNA, and that's nothing compared to what they are doing to other animals! Nature is full of morally questionable behaviors that humans think of as "sinful." Yet, these transgressions are precisely what allow plants and animals to survive and thrive. Using the Seven Deadly Sins as a roadmap, Dan brings his expertise and enthusiasm to dozens of jaw-dropping tales about Mother Nature's not-so-gentle true colors.

Animals In Vineyards
Sarah Cahn Bennett, Navarro Vineyards

Sara Bennett's family business, Navarro Vineyards, uses little tiny sheep to keep the weeds under control. But that's not the only thing they do.

Sarah Cahn Bennett, who has a master's degree in viticulture and enology from the University of California at Davis, works at her family-run winery, Navarro Vineyards. Navarro Vineyards produces over 45,000 cases a year from Mendocino County grapes and sells most of them directly to consumers.

The benefits are "more than you can count," says Sarah. In winter and early spring, Navarro dairy sheep keep the vineyard cover crop sheared, adding a few degrees of frost protection. They fertilize as they graze and don't compact the soil as much as a tractor would. Once the vines leaf out and become too tempting, these woolly weeders move to Navarro's ranch land, where their dining keeps the fire danger down.

The use of sheep has also reduced their total diesel gasoline use and the sheep manure is great for the vines. In addition, sheep urine actually contains more nitrogen than their manure, both helping to grow the vines.

During the off months, the sheep contribute to the family venture, Pennyroyal Farm, a solar-powered creamery sheep and goat farm built on family property in Boonville. Sarah oversees the vineyard on the parcel, while cheese maker Erika Scharfen runs the creamery. Using milk from the Pennyroyal goats, mixed with sheep's milk during its limited season, Erika makes both fresh and aged cheeses on an artisanal scale.

Sarah explains that goats are more browsers while sheep are more grazers. So if you were using them on a hillside for weed control for fire prevention, goats would be better because they like to eat small shrubs and climb small trees. The sheep tend to go more for the grass. Sheep and goats aren't for everyone, Sarah acknowledges. They must be managed and moved often to prevent overgrazing. They need pasture or costly dry feed when they're not in the vineyard. But at Navarro, they're an invaluable part of the crew.

A majority of California wine is grown and produced using sustainable practices, and many wineries and vineyards are certified or seeking sustainable certification, because managing for the long term makes sense for the many family-owned vineyards and wineries that want to pass an on a thriving business to the next generation. Read about Navarro Vineyards, as well as Gallo Family Vineyards, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Robert Mondavi Winery and many others in the book, "Down to Earth: A Seasonal Tour of Sustainable Wine Growing in California" co-created by Wine Institute. You'll also find a dozen delicious wine-centric recipes, timed to what is fresh in the garden, to prepare at home as you enjoy this seasonal tour of sustainable wine growing in California.

Wine Institute is the premier organization representing California wineries in the U.S. and around the world. With 1,000 California winery and affiliated business members, the organization initiates and advocates public policy that enhances the ability to responsibly produce, promote and enjoy wine. Wine Institute works to bolster the economic and environmental contributions of California's signature agricultural industry by encouraging sustainable wine growing and winemaking practices.

Black Widow Spiders Poisonous to Pets - Dr. Debbie

Female Black Widow Spider
While walking along the pedestrian pathway we came upon the day's discovery - spiders and lots of them living in the recesses of a block wall. The hairs on my arm stood up as my Yorkie mix approached their lair. I recognize what these spiders are and what could happen to a 16-pound pup.

Featured veterinarian known as "Dr. Debbie" on national pet radio program, Animal Radio. Ebook author of "Yorkshire Terriers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Pugs: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Mini Schnauzers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; and "Shih Tzu: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend." Dr. Debbie's books.

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The Dogfather's Grooming Tip with Joey Villani

Coloring Your Pet
If you really want to color your pet, you should leave it to a professional. However, not all groomers will color animals. Even if you don't go to a groomer, ask them what they use. If you must do it yourself, listen up, as there is a right way and a wrong way.

For many years, people were encouraged to use coloring products that were meant for children on their pets. But now, the pet industry has coloring just for animals. Even though coloring products for children are safe, the products meant for our pets are even safer.

When you color a pet, this could be something as simple as taking a dull black coat that may have some grey in the muzzle, and making it a rich black all over. Or, it may mean taking your pet and coloring them red, white and blue for the 4th of July.

If you do have a black dog, you should not try to add any color other than black. Other colors won't show up without bleaching the fur, which is highly not recommended.

When coloring a black dog with black coloring, take some hydrogen peroxide in a sprayer and lightly spray the part on the parts you want to color. What this will do is open up the hair shaft to allow the coloring to go in. Follow the directions for the color, apply it to your pet, let it sit on your pet according to the instructions, then rinse it off.

What the instructions may not mention is to put a conditioner on top of the new color. The conditioner will close the hair shaft back up.

If you have a light colored dog, instead of just adding a light color, you can also add a splash of vibrant color.

Animal Radio News - Tammy Trujillo

Dog Dials 911
It's always fun when we get a doggie 911 story. When emergency dispatchers in Sarpy County Nebraska picked up a call, all they heard were the sounds of breathing and scratching. It had them worried, until they found out the noises were coming from a dog that dialed 911. The dog's person said she thought her 2-pound Japanese Chin was trying to curl up next to her on the couch. She only realized her dog had actually pawed out 911 on her smartphone when she heard a voice from the phone asking for an "address of the emergency." This doggie 911 call was a first for the Sarpy County emergency operators.

There's An App For That!
If you are trying to find a lost pet, there is an app for that. It's called PIP, short for Positive Identification of a Pet and it works like an AMBER Alert. It sends a missing pet notification to veterinarians and rescue agencies in the area where the pet was lost. If your pet is lost, you just upload a photo of your missing pet to PIP and the app uses facial recognition to look for a match on websites that feature found animals, like shelters. PIP is free to download on iPhones but you do pay an annual fee to register your pet.

Dogs Detect Cancer Before Medical Testing
A dog's sense of smell is said to be 200,000 times better than humans. That's why dogs work detecting bombs and drugs. But, they've also been trained to use those fantastic noses to detect certain health issues, like the moment a person with diabetes starts to have a hyperglycemic incident. Researchers at a UK charity, Medical Detection Dogs, trained dogs to detect the odor of cancer. Dogs are now able to accurately detect three kinds of cancer, breast, lung and ovarian. Here's the coolest part, it appears they're able to make those detections before medical testing could.

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#1289)